THE EastEnders episodes being filmed in Southend will be a “great advert” for the town, according to Adventure Island boss Phillip Miller.

Filming for the popular soap continued in Southend for the third day yesterday.

Actors including Ricky Norwood, 23, who plays Fat Boy and Shona McGarty, 19, who plays Whitney Dean, were at Adventure Island on the seafront to shoot scenes for four episodes to be broadcast in August.

Adventure Island boss Mr Miller said the stars being in the town was fantastic for the whole of Southend.

He said: “EastEnders being here is a great advert for Southend. The genuine Eastenders, who used to flock to Southend for days out and who may not have been here for some years as it was a bit run-down, will get this opportunity to see what fantastic changes have been made to the town. It will bring them back in droves.”

Onlookers stood around the set in the park as crews fenced off large sections outside the Crooked House to shoot scenes of the actors having fun.

Tourist Bill Butcher, 72, who lives in Aylesbury, Buckingham- shire, said it was interesting to see it all unfold, but thought the actors must get bored.

Mr Butcher said: “I think it must be boring to do because there just seems to be a lot of people standing around waiting for the scenes to be shot.

“It is interesting to see it though because when you watch it on TV you do not realise how long it does take to shoot part of the show.”

Staff working at Adventure Island said they did not know until the morning about the filming going on.

Amelia Stocks, 17, from Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, said: “Even though I don’t really watch the show it has been quite cool seeing them.”

Meanwhile outside on Marine Parade, ice cream and donut seller Harry Baker, 23, of Station Crescent, Rayleigh, told the Echo the filming has brought more customers.

He said: “It is normally a fairly dead day, but there had been a rise in sales with all the people finding out and coming down.”